Thai style Paneer

Thai style paneer is an intriguing dish that takes a healthier and more flavorful twist to everyone’s favorite good old “paneer chilli”. Cottage cheese marinated in simple Thai spices and grilled with some veggies for a healthy and delicious appetizer. Swap paneer for tofu, if you want to make it vegan.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien.

Similarly not all paneer dishes are lost causes. Especially when they are in this palate tickling Thai style! Grilled to perfection, finished with toasted sesame seeds and roasted peanuts and served with a sweet Thai chili sauce, this will force you to like Paneer. A perfect side dish in signature La petit chef style- fun, fast & fabulous!

Its Monday. Again. Already. Today started on a good note. I had my things and thoughts in place for the day. I had meticulously (is there any other kind?) planned out the details of my day. The meetings, the social media, P’s doc check up, D’s school thing, even the dinner. Everything was sorted. But then suddenly, all my plans came crashing down like a palace of cards!

I woke up to violently swollen tonsils and fever. I woke up feeling like death warmed up. Obviously there’s no off on Mondays (unless there is a serious travesty, which believe it or not, a mere case of influenza is not or so i think). Hmph. Time to readjust my own expectations I think. On top of that, my cook (who comes to get us through the morning hassle decided she had an actual travesty and didn’t show up! I mean come on.. !! And before I could even finish my now lukewarm coffee, my email was barraged with a serious situation at work that needed to be tackled and sorted with the client right away. There goes my dreams of hot coffee.. welcome life!! After all isnt that what life is??

“Life is something that happens when you are planning different things”.

How has your day been till now? Hope its better than mine!! So with the whole family battling cold and flu, Monday dinner had to be something quick yet hot enough to warm us up. Meatless Mondays as you all know is one of our least favorite days owing to the fact that we are a family of carnivores. But slowly, the concept of consciously choosing vegetable for two days a week(we also follow veggie Thursdays) is growing on me. Apart from being healthy and lighter than the meaty deliciousness, meatless Mondays also force me to think outside the box to make something I and my family would enjoy again and again.

I did make some of the meatless Indian staples like sabudaana (tapioca) vada, aloo corn tikkis, paneer pakoda, beet root tikkis and some mushroom chillie. Everything was good. But none of it inspired me enough to blog about it. It was all very standard fare..and I really felt dispirited. Lets be honest, we have all been there, right? Those desultory days where the recipes don’t click, or when you do make something you dont find it good enough or novel enough to blog about!! Don’t tell me its only me?! One day while getting the paneer out of the fridge, I felt a sense of unrest. As I always do, I asked P “what do you want for dinner”? His answer : Same old paneer, again?? Now that made me really mad. I mean, my paneer dishes are awesome. My shahi paneeris simply better than any restaurants and the methi matar malai paneer dish is so so good that its demanded by my family and friends on all veggie lunches! And then, there’s the Paneer corn croquettes...! But here was that ingrate of a man, turning his nose up at my darling cottage cheese! Tch Tch. That won’t do.

So there and then, this idea just popped into my mind. As you all know I have been on a serious Thai food kick lately. Couple of mondays back,we devoured the Fresh Thai Noodle Soup bowl very happily. And during the weekends we indulged in my fragrant and awesome Thai basil chicken and Thai Chicken Fried rice. Easy, quick and delicious.. Thai is a constant hit at my home.

So, i gave in to my imagination and decided to wing it. So yes, paneer and Thai are not a normal affair, but after you try this I am sure you will agree with me that its a match made in flavor heaven! There is no reason why you shouldn’t try paneer in this Thai style.Feel free to swap for the more usual tofu if you are looking for a vegan version.These Thai style paneer taste best when served immediately. Add any kind of vegetables as you want to that marinade- zucchini, button mushrooms, bell peppers and grill away to serve alongwith the paneer.

First off, I’m sorry to hear you’ve been ill! That’s not what anyone needs this time of year. I do hope you feel better soon!

But secondly what a wonderful recipe! I love paneer (we are a veggie household) but we often cook it the same way. I’ve never had it thai before so can’t wait to give this a go. I also like the idea of swapping the paneer out for tofu to make it vegan.

Great minds think alike we are both on the Thai inspirational dishes this week. Love your easy recipe with delicious flavors and spices and of course your food styling. Speak of styling your little girl is just precious. I am hoping you are feeling better soon, this time of the year is horrible for cold and flu.

i guess.. Thai is always grt! and I love that atleast we r thinking alike 🙂 Thanks about the styling ..been in a rut. so it kinda affirms my faith to hear that i am doing ok from you …on the mend! Blogging again…and cooked after 3 days!! Yay..

Thanks so much Oana..I am much better now. In fact just cooked dinner after 3 days!! And yup.. do try this. Its really easy, delicious and somehow familiar even though paneer and thai is so unfamiliar together 🙂

What a beautiful dish!! I can just imagine how delicious it tastes. I’m sorry to hear you’re not feeling well but since this comment is late in coming 🙁 I’m sure you’re feeling better. Thank you for sharing your great recipe .Marisa Franca @ All Our Way recently posted…Pinza Triestina A Love Story